Nairobi, Kenya: As Kenya confronts the challenges posed by gender-based violence (GBV), 11 Kenyan entrepreneurs are stepping up to prevent GBV and support survivors of GBV with transformative and innovative solutions.
Culminating weeks of mentorship under this business plan contest, these changemakers will showcase their initiatives at the Innovate Against GBV Pitching Event—an event targeting over 100 participants, organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in collaboration with the National Gender Equality Commission (NGEC), the Nairobi County Government, and project implementing partners, GrowthAfrica.
A panel of jurors, including investors, partners, gender experts, and other key stakeholders, will hear their business ideas, developed specifically to address GBV, at this historic event.
This event represents not just a competition but a powerful platform for catalysing change.
By promoting business models that directly confront GBV, the Innovate Against GBV program seeks to equip local entrepreneurs with the resources, networks, and support they need to scale their ideas and drive social impact..
The power of entrepreneurship to address GBV
With rates of GBV increasing in Kenya, the need for innovative, community-driven solutions has never been more pressing. “GBV has profound impacts on individuals, communities, and the nation’s socio-economic landscape. We must enhance our innovative and dynamic actions, and I believe businesses have a unique and powerful role to stand against GBV and foster societal change,” said Makiko Kubota, Chief Advisor of the NGEC-JICA GBV Elimination Project and the program’s initiator.
“As an agency committed to supporting both social and economic development in developing countries, JICA can play a crucial role in fostering a movement within the startup ecosystem to tackle pressing social issues such as GBV through innovative and sustainable solutions,” echoed Misako Uehara, SME/Startup Ecosystem Building expert of the KIBT (Kenya Institute of Business Training)—JICA Project for Enhancing Enterprise Competitiveness in Kenya, who leads the program’s implementation.
From Ideation to Impact: Supporting Entrepreneurial Solutions to GBV
Over the past six weeks, the Innovate Against GBV business plan contest has provided participants with intensive mentorship, strategic business guidance, and practical resources.
These entrepreneurs have developed innovative ideas aimed at creating a future free from GBV. The pitching event will allow them to connect with investors and partners who can help scale their solutions to reach communities in need.
“We are proud to support these entrepreneurs as they work to drive real change in Kenya. This event demonstrates how entrepreneurship can act as a vehicle for social impact, creating solutions that go beyond profit to address issues deeply affecting communities,” said Patricia Jumi, Managing Director, GrowthAfrica.
A Collective Vision for Change
The Trade and Development Bank Group, which will host the event at TDB Tower, the group’s operations hub, recognizes the importance of supporting initiatives that can address critical societal issues like GVB and lead to meaningful change.
“At TDB Group, we are strong supporters of women’s empowerment. We have several policies, both internally and through the projects we finance, that focus on gender mainstreaming, sensitivity, inclusion, and protection against abuse. Moreover, women make up nearly half of our staff and hold over 50% of the jobs supported by our loans, according to Sheila Amule, Group Executive, People and Organisational Development.
The Innovate Against GBV Pitching Event is a testament to Kenya’s commitment to addressing GBV through innovation, collaboration, and community-driven efforts. By empowering local entrepreneurs, this program demonstrates that, together, impactful solutions are possible, bringing the country closer to a future free of GBV.
The entrepreneurs are: Heels4Pads by Angela Waweru; Residence Technologies by John Kioko; Amicus by Robert Ayub; ConnectHer by Consolata Waithaka; Klinik Telehealth by Steve Dimba; Data Lock by Vince Sila; Safework App by Emmy Moorhouse & Steve Otieno; Kuza Freezer by Dennis Onkangi; MOMA Renewable Energy by Yvonne Mose; Mars Agrofarm by Stephen Ndungu; She’s Safe by Jacinta Kazenzi.